Stephen Colbert Mocks Trump’s $1 Billion ‘Board of Peace’ Fee, Jabs CBS Settlement

Stephen Colbert took aim at President Donald Trump during his monologue on The Late Show, criticizing Trump’s new international initiative called the “Board of Peace” and the reported $1 billion fee required for countries to join.

Trump announced the new body on Thursday, Jan. 22, while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The president signed a charter creating the Board of Peace and named himself its first and indefinite chairman. Trump offered few specifics about the group’s purpose, saying it would work with the United Nations to help secure peace in the Middle East, with possible broader goals.

According to multiple reports, joining the Board of Peace requires a $1 billion membership fee. It is not clear how the money would be used.

Interest from Western nations has reportedly been limited. Countries said to have accepted Trump’s invitation include Albania, Argentina, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

The executive board includes several high-profile figures appointed by Trump, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, businessman Marc Rowan, World Bank Group president Ajay Banga and U.S. deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel.

During his monologue on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert described the $1 billion entry fee as “a little steep,” joking that the Board of Peace overlaps heavily with the United Nations’ mission.

“So, Trump is literally just doing model UN,” Colbert said.

He then took a swipe at his own network, CBS, referencing the company’s recent $16 million settlement with Trump. “Now, admittedly, the idea of paying a billion dollars to obey Donald Trump seems a little steep,” Colbert joked. “After all, CBS got to do it for just 16 million.”

Colbert has repeatedly criticized CBS for settling Trump’s lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview with his 2024 election opponent, Kamala Harris. Trump accused the program of deceptively editing the interview. CBS has said the settlement money will go toward Trump’s future presidential library.

In July, Colbert called the settlement a “big, fat bribe” during a monologue. Just days later, CBS announced that The Late Show would end after its current season, citing financial reasons.

Trump celebrated the cancellation on Truth Social, writing that he was happy Colbert was fired and adding, “I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.”

Colbert later confirmed that his show would be retired, while CBS maintained that the decision was not political.